WASHINGTON, D.C.– President Biden signed a stopgap spending bill to keep federal agencies functioning through March 14, 2025. The measure includes more than $100 billion in aid to Americans struggling to recover from natural disasters, citing hurricanes “Helene and Milton and [the] Hawaii wildfires” among examples of late. The announcement and resulting funds will have a significant impact on communities ravaged by environmental catastrophes and the National Association of State Foresters lauds this timely support.
A significant portion of the funds will aim to provide resources for rural landowners, facing both a tough farm economy and the aftermath of multiple disasters. Included in the package are block grants to be issued directly to eligible states and territories from the USDA Forest Service in order to relay critical assistance to private forest landowners who’ve experienced disaster-related loss. These block grants allow flexibility for each state to meet the unique needs of local landowners and invest funds where most effective.
“State forestry agencies directly assist more than 200,000 landowners each year and stand ready to help deliver disaster funding. The block grant provision will expedite getting funding to forest landowners and provide needed flexibility to adapt to local conditions. Every state is different,” said NASF Executive Director Jay Farrell.
A broad spectrum of itemized priorities were identified throughout the package: In addition to a one-year Farm Bill Extension, $29 billion has been set aside for the Federal Emergency Management Agency Disaster Relief Fund and another $2.249 billion for the Small Business Administration’s Disaster Loans Program Account. The announcement demonstrated consideration not only for economic and structural environmental reparations, but also proactive measures to anticipate future related needs. The package includes $208 million in general State Private and Tribal Forestry funding, further specifying $14 million of those funds be allocated through Forest Health Protection to help protect states from the growing spruce budworm outbreak impacting the northeast.
Text relaying the bill’s full content is available here.